First consider the expression for: Take the product of $4$ and $x$ and add $-8$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $4$ and the product of $-9$ and that expression.
Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $4$ and $x$ $4 \times x = \color{orange}{4x}$ What does adding $-8$ to $4x$ do? $4x$ $ - 8$ What is the quantity of $-9$ times that expression $-9 \times (4x - 8) = \color{orange}{-9(4x-8)}$ What is the sum of $4$ and $\color{orange}{-9(4x-8)}$ $-9(4x-8)$ $ + 4$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $-9(4x-8)+4$.